Golden State Today

California has launched its new deliberative democracy platform, Engaged California, which aims to facilitate public discourse and influence policy-making through citizen participation. Over 6,000 individuals have registered for the platform's first initiative focused on recovery efforts following the Los Angeles wildfires.

Governor Gavin Newsom highlighted the significance of this initiative, stating, "The initial response from Californians has shown us that we need to create different options for how people interact with us." The platform allows participants to engage anonymously by answering questions, voting on comments, and interacting with others' responses.

Nick Maduros, California Government Operations Secretary, emphasized the importance of community involvement: "Fire survivors are now actively communicating with us. And California is actively listening." This engagement is seen as crucial in shaping recovery conversations from those most affected.

Engaged California provides a unique opportunity for residents to connect with their government and contribute to policy discussions. It was developed in collaboration with Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Ian Klaus from Carnegie California expressed gratitude for being part of this project: “Carnegie California is grateful to be on the ground floor, providing our expertise to inform the development of California’s deliberative democracy program.”

Inspired by Taiwan's digital civic engagement initiatives led by Audrey Tang, this program seeks to foster a sustainable model for discussing various issues in California. Tang noted at SXSW 2025 that Governor Newsom announced Engaged California focusing on wildfire recovery and other pressing topics.

Residents interested in participating can sign up at engaged.ca.gov.